Many molded flexible polyurethane articles contain a structural support attached to or incorporated into them in their finished form. These structural supports are commonly referred to as inserts. These inserts are used, for example, as latches, hinges, and the like used to assemble polyurethane articles for their end use. Common examples of the composition of these inserts are Acrylonitrilebutadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), and ABS/PC alloys and the like. The problem with using polycarbonate inserts with molded flexible polyurethane articles is that in some cases the vapors given off by the polyurethane foam have been found to attack and degrade the polycarbonate causing early failure of the finished end use article.
It has been found that the chemicals in flexible polyunethane foam formulation that were causing the polycarbonate degradation are the tertiary amine catalysts. While the use of tertiary amine catalysts to produce the molded flexible polyurethane is preferred, a system which will not attack and degrade the polycarbonate inserts is needed.